Author: Rosie King
“Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand/ Just like that river twisting through a dusty land.”
Duran Duran’s hit “Rio,” released before most of our birthdays in 1981, blasted a spacious Walt Disney Concert Hall on September 16. The 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards went down at the Governor’s Ball with a reception at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. And as has been the case these past 11 years, the place to be post-Emmys is the ET/People Emmy After Party full of glitz, glam, gift bags and more! Simply glorious!
Stars and guests arrived at the concert hall, anticipating the infamous gift bags sponsored by Cole Haan and Duran Duran’s performance. Then the greeters (myself included) whisked them away to the celebrity check-in before they walked the red carpet for photographs and interviews. A cute Andrea Bowen (Julie Mayer on Desperate Housewives) was my first escort. She hesitated momentarily before the red carpet. “Sorry, I’m not ready, I need to check to see who my earrings are by-I know I’m cheating,” she said.
Bubbly red-headed Kate Flannery (Meredith Palmer on The Office) was my next. After she walked the carpet she responded to a woman screaming, “KATE! KATE! Over here!” And in her floor length gown she scurried over to the noise (coming from the sidewalk where onlookers gathered) just to say “hi” to an enthusiastic fan. Then, while climbing the steps into the party, she tripped a little and said, “Oh God, I hope TMZ isn’t watching!”
Ellen Pompeo (Meredith Grey on Grey’s Anatomy) was my highlight. Before hitting the carpet, she schmoozed with Heroes’ Ali Larter, who gushed over Pompeo’s lavish sapphire-encrusted Fred Leighton jewelry. Once Pompeo, Kate Walsh and McSteamy (Eric Dane) arrived, I knew I had to sneak in.
Upon ascending the steps illuminated with the ET logo up to the party, I followed the music to where I saw McSteamy chilling with wife Rebecca Gayheart and other Grey’s stars such as Sara Ramirez and Walsh. In the same area, TV Week reported Jeremy Piven from Entourage and Masi Oka from Heroes dancing together to “The Reflex.” Notable minglers included cast members from The Office, Hayden Panettiere of Heroes and Angus T. Jones, and the kid from Two and a Half Men with his entourage (a.k.a. Mom and Dad).
The guests (self included), who were “hungry like the wolf,” snacked on chocolate-covered strawberries, marshmallows and macaroons from the Godiva Chocolate bar. Also served were gourmet dishes from scallop burgers and cedar-planked salmon to seared rosemary beef tenderloin with garlic aioli on square crostinis the size of thumbnails-too small even for Pompeo.
There was an LG media lounge with televisions, a Kodak champagne bar with a photo booth, a Godiva liqueur station mixing up chocolate-y martinis and a Garnier and Maybelline Beauty bar where guests could pick up more freebies.
As midnight rolled around, the valet service and gift bag table were hustlin’ and bustlin’ and the publicity and media staff had vanished into the party to enjoy the night themselves.
“Take one last glimpse into the night/ I’m touching close/ I’m holding bright/ holding tight/ Give me shudders in a whisper/ take me up ’till I’m shooting a star.”-Duran Duran’s “Girls on Film”
Emmy Highlights
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy SeriesAmerica Ferrera as Betty Suarez of Ugly Betty
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy SeriesJeremy Piven as Ari Gold of Entourage
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama SeriesKatherine Heigl as Dr. Izzie Stevens of Grey’s Anatomy
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series Alan Taylor for The Sopranos
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